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When they were alive the ‘foot prints’ of stray dogs created terror on the busy streets of Srinagar.

Now when the flood fury has swallowed them and large number of them have perished in the deep stagnant waters they are still keeping the local residents and health workers on their tenterhooks amid rising fear of epidemic.

With the constant reduction in the water levels from worst affected residential and commercial streets the survivors are recovering stinking mass of animal carcass from several low lying areas.

In the absence of crippled state govt machinery which is yet to register its presence on ground zero and start the cleaning up process the residents have to deal with foul smell and run the risk of contracting water borne diseases.

Despite tall claims of the state govt of restoring some order the control room of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation remain out of order. Efforts made to reach senior officers of SMC failed to yield fruitful results as their phone networks remain out of reach.

In some areas where rescue workers are still struggling to reach with essential supplies carcass of stray dogs and other animals can be seen floating in stinking water.In certain areas where water levels are down the thick layer of slush is making it difficult for the workers to carry out the clean up act.

The Indian army on its part has airlifted heavy duty suction pumps to start cleaning process but on ground the situation remains grim in many areas.

Last Saturday when portions of an embankment along river Jhelum caved in flood waters submerged several residential areas of Srinagar giving very little opportunity to local residents to run for safety.

According to local residents the stray dogs and in some cases even the pets were the worst hit among other street animals.Large number of them were marooned and others who made efforts to save themselves were simply washed away in high currents.

A local resident of Gogji bagh who survived the flood fury said, “before Srinagar was flooded with water the burgeoning stray dog population always hogged headlines in local media. Around 40-50 dog bites were reported across main city hospitals. Some times even the tourists were targeted by these prowling stray dogs”.

Two years ago when the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) thought of poisoning them to check the menace of dog bites the animal lovers hit the streets to come to their rescue. This time no one rescued them.